Presidential Election 2017 Results: Ram Nath Kovind to be the 14th President of India

The NDA candidate beats Opposition's Meira Kumar by securing 65.5% of votes; incumbent Pranab Mukherjee's term as President ends on July 25

6:36 PM

Here is the official announcement of the Presidential Election result from the Election Commission of India 

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What might make Ram Nath Kovind tick as the President of India, writes Shekhar Gupta 

6:20 PM

WATCH: President-elect Kovind's fecilitation in New Delhi

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Narendra Modi congratulates Ram Nath Kovind on his victory

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also congratulated Ram Nath Kovind over phone for his victory

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Ram Nath Kovind's brother celebrates this victory in Madhya Pradesh's Guna at the house of President-elect 

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Calling his certained victory an 'emotional moment', the President-elect said:

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Meanwhile, both Kovind and Kumar congratulated each other for their endeavours.

Meira Kumar said: 

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However, the PM did not forget to express his gratitude to the Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar. Here are some his tweets:

4:58 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes a trip down the memory lane by sharing a picture with the President-elect that was taken 20 years ago

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Here are some pictures of BJP workers celebrating in Mumbai 

 

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Ram Nath Kovind secured 2,930 votes with value of 7,02,044; Meira Kumar got 1,844 votes with the value of 3,67,314; 77 invalid: Anoop Mishra

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Amit Shah says: "Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji for emphatic victory in the 2017 Presidential elections. His victory is truly historic."

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The 72-year-old is the second Indian President to come from the Dalit community. K R Narayanan was the first. Kovind will assume office on July 26. 

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Click here to know all about your next to-be President 

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Kovind, who has one son and a daughter, has also served on the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Management. 

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Kovind was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1994 and inducted in the BJP’s national executive in 1997. His second Rajya Sabha term was from 2000 to 2006.

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He was the general secretary of the All India Koli Samaj from 1971 to 1975, and the Union government advocate in the Delhi High Court in two stints – from 1977 to 1979 and from 1982 to 1984. He had also been the general secretary of the Depressed Classes Legal Aid Bureau.

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Born in village Paraunkh in the Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh on October 1, 1945, Kovind earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree, followed by an LLB, from Kanpur’s BNSD Intercollege and DAV College.

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Kovind had been a member of the Rajya Sabha for 12 years and part of several parliamentary panels.

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An advocate by profession, Kovind practised law in both High Court and the Supreme Court. He was made the Governor of Bihar in 2015, after the NDA took office at the Centre in May the previous year.

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Meira Kumar bagged 34 per cent (1,844) votes 

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Ram Nath Kovind elected as the 14th President of India. Secures 65.65 per cent votes.

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Last phase of counting underway: Ram Nath Kovind crosses halfway mark

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Kanpur Dehat: People offer prayers for Kovind in anticipation of his win

3:56 PM

The next president of India will be sworn-in by the Chief Justice of India J S Khehar in the Central Hall of the Parliament.

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As per the locals, Kovind has always been a down-to-earth person and has been visiting their village on regular intervals. They consider the bond to between him and the villagers to be tight and close.